Sad news out of Hollywood today.
TV personality Regis Philbin, who is best known for hosting Live With Regis and Kathie Lee and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, has died.
He was 88.
According to a statement obtained by People, Philbin passed away of natural causes on Friday night.
“We are deeply saddened to share that our beloved Regis Philbin passed away last night of natural causes, one month shy of his 89th birthday,” his said in the statement.
“His family and friends are forever grateful for the time we got to spend with him — for his warmth, his legendary sense of humor, and his singular ability to make every day into something worth talking about.”
“We thank his fans and admirers for their incredible support over his 60-year career and ask for privacy as we mourn his loss.”
Philbins showbiz career dates back to 1955 when he started working as a page for The Tonight Show.
He worked as an announcer and host before working with Joey Bishop on ABC’s The Joey Bishop Show in 1967.
He went on to star in a string of local and national daytime shows, before joining Cyndy Garvey on The Morning Show in 1983.
When Kathie Lee Gifford entered the fold in 1985, it marked a big change for the show, which went into national syndication under the name Live With Regis and Kathie Lee.
They pair drew a lot of viewers, and worked together until 2000 when Gifford exited the series.
Philbin was subsequently paired with Kelly Ripa, and the show became Live With Regis and Kelly, a title the show held until 2011 when Regis exited.
Philbin is also well-known for his work on ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, which aired five nights a week when it first launched.
While the series started big, the numbers tailed off, and the series was canceled by ABC, but it has been revived since without Philbin.
In the years following his departure from Live, Regis appeared on shows such as Rachael Ray, Crowd Goes Wild, Fresh Off the Boat, Today With Kathie Lee and Hoda.
May he rest in peace.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.